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"Timing is everything." That sage piece of advice has been passed down through the years from person to person and has been applied to more situations than most people will ever face in their life. From a first date to successfully marketing a video game, "timing is everything." Unfortunately for Hitman 2, the timing could have been better.

The East Coast sniper rampage is undoubtedly going to dissuade some gamers from giving this one a look as the theme likely hits too close to home. It is a shame too, as the game is an easily overlooked gem.

The Reluctant Assassin

When Hitman first hit (yes, bad pun) the PC in late 2000, it suffered from a few problems. First and foremost was the timing issue. Too many missions relied on a series of events happening in the perfect order. One misstep and it was all over. The lack of an in-game save option was also a source of frustration for players. Developer IO Interactive took the critical feedback to heart and addressed these issues for the sequel. The result is a game that plays well, looks good, and quite simply, rocks.

As the story goes, you are an enhanced human. Going only by the name 47, you have superhuman skills and reflexes which make you the perfect hired gun. Working only for a secretive agency, you kill for money or at least you did. As a reformed killer you now live a pious life at a church in Sicily, trying to make amends for your past wrongs. There is no rest for the wicked though, as a local Don has your priest and mentor kidnapped. Not knowing what to do you pull out your old equipment, reestablish contact with the agency, and vow to rescue the kidnapped priest.

Options, Options, Options

In your quest for vengeance, you will travel the world completing missions for the agency. From Sicily to St. Petersburg to Japan, the environments are just as varied as those found in the real world. The true beauty of Hitman 2 lies in the sheer non-linearity of it. At the beginning of each level you are presented with a task to complete. How you accomplish that goal is completely up to you.

You can play the stealthy assassin and sneak around in the shadows, killing only your target and no one else, or you can go on a wild rampage and tear up the place with guns blazing and bodies everywhere. The game will score you based on your stealth level and your aggression level on each mission you undertake.

An excellent example of this occurs in the St. Petersburg area. You are tasked with eliminating two generals who are meeting in a park. One way to do this requires no direct contact with the target. You simply place a bomb on each general's limousine and then wait for them to leave. As the cars drive away they will explode, with the targets inside.

Another option is to sneak around the backside of a church, climb up into the bell tower and use a sniper rifle to take out both generals. If that doesn't work for you, you can sneak through the city sewer system, climb up a radio tower on the far side of town and use your sniper rifle from there. A combination of these tactics will also work.

Somebody's been a busy boy.

If that was not enough freedom, you also have the ability to steal the clothes of those you eliminate. Sometimes you have to walk into a secured area, and as such your personal clothes just won't do. The first level of the game has you entering a mobster's house. One of the many ways in involves killing a mailman before he reaches the front gate. After you have killed him, drag the body to a secure area, change into his clothes, and pick up the flowers he was carrying. When you walk up to the gate the guards will assume you are the mailman and let you into the complex.